Excavator.



EXCAVATOR.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 4,1914.

Attorneysa m3 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50., WASHINGTONMD. G,

G. LORIO.

EXCAVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,1914.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Attorneys."

THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH :0" WASHINGTON. n. rv

G. LORIO.

EXCAVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4.1914.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- Witneses Attorneys THB C'OLUMBIA FLANOUR'APII co., WASHING TON, n. c

chine supported by longitudinal EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1913.

Application filed'J'une 4, 191 1. Serial No. 842,997.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Gnoncn LORIO, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Moberly, in the parish of St. Charles and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Excavator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to excavators particularly designed for use in the construction of levee foundations although it can be used wherever it is desired to dig a trench and to fill the trench with concrete.

()ne of the objects of the invention is to provide a machineihaving novel means" for digging a trench of uniform width and to any predetermined depth, the excavating elements being combined with means whereby any water which may accumulate in the formed trench will be bailed therefrom.

A further object is to combine with the excavating mechanism a structure whereby concrete may be fed into the trench at a point close to the excavating elements,means being provided for preventing the concrete from flowing forwardly in the trench an onto the excavating elements.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the inven 'on has been shown.

In said drawings:-l*igure 1 is a plan view of the machine, the upstanding frame thereon being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section showing the machine in use, the section being taken on the line A-B Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through one of the buckets of the excavator. Fig. 5 is an elevation showing a modified structure.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the axles of the mawheels 2 and carrying beams 3, 4 and 5. A platform 6 is supported by the beams 3 and 4 and car ries a motor 7. The entire machine may be propelled forward orbackward in any suitablemanner. Forexample and as shown the drawings, gears 8 may be secured to one pair of wheels 2, these gears meshing with drive gears 9 secured to the ends of a shaft 10 journaled on the beams 3 and 5. A sprocket 11 can be loosely mounted on the shaft 10, this sprocket being provided with a conical clutch member 12 while another clutch member 13 may be feathered on the shaft. By means of a lever 14:, the clutch member 13 can be shifted into engagement with the clutch member 12, thereby to couple the sprocket 11 to shaft 10 so that, when the said sprocket is rptated, motion will be transmitted therefrom through shaft 10 and gears 9 to gears S and wheels 2.

Sprocket 11 is adapted to receive motion, through a chain 15, from a sprocket 16 loosely mounted on a shaft 17 which is jour= naled on the beams 3 and 4- T his sprocket 16 has a clutch member 18 adapted to be engaged by another clutch member 19 which is feathered on shaft 17. A. lever 20 is provided whereby the clutch member 19 can be moved into and out of engagement with clutch member 18, thus coupling or uncoupling the sprocket 16 relative to shaft 17. A sprocket 21 rotates with sprocket 16 and receives motion through a chain 22 from a sprocket 23 secured to a counter shaft 24 which is journaled above the platform 6 and receives motion, through a pulley 25, belt 26 and pulley 27 from the power shaft 28 of the motor 7.

Shaft 17 projects past the beam 4: and

into the space between said beam and the beam 5 and mounted to swing upon this shaft is a frame 29 one end portion of which projects into an upstanding frame 30 which is fixedly mounted on a cross beam 31 supported by the beams 3, 4: and 5. A Windlass 32'. is supported within the upper portion of frame 30 and is connected to the frame 29 by a cable 33 or the like. A sprocket 34: rotates with the windlass and is adapted to receive motion through a chain 35 from asprocket 36 carried by the lower portion of frame 30, this sprocket 36 being be rotated in any suitable manner, as by means of a crank handle 37. Thus it will be seen that the frame 29 can be swung upwardly or downwardly about shaft 17 as a pivot.

Frame 29 overhangs the space between the beams 1 and 5 and mounted on the shaft 17 and within the frame29 is a sprocket 38 while another sprocket 39 is secured to a adapted to shaft 40 which is journaled in frame 29 trough has its lower end located close to one near its rear or free end. A hanger 41 is side of a transversely extending trough 52 connected to the frame 29 and is adapted to supported by the beams 4 and and within be adjusted upwardly and downwardly, for which is arranged a conveyer worm 53. 5 wardly and rearwardly relative thereto, this This trough 52 can be of any length desired 70 hanger carrying an idler sprocket 42. and a sprocket 54 is preferably secured to brace 79 extends forwardly and upone end of the shaft of the worm and is wardly from the hanger 41 and has its upper adapted to receive motion, through a chain end slidably mounted within a guide 80 se- 55 from a sprocket 56 secured to the shaft 17. 1o cured to the frame 29. An adjusting screw Interposed between every two buckets on 75 81 is connected to the upper end of the brace the chain 43 is a finger 57 to which is se- 9 and engages an ear depending from the cured a bailing blade 58 so proportioned as frame so that, by rotating this screw 81, to extend throughout the width and down to the brace 79 can be shifted forwardly or the bottom of the trench cut by the buckets. rearwardly relative to the frame 29, thus to These blades can be of metal, leather or any so shift the sprocket 42 and loosen or tighten other suitable material. an endless chain 43 which is mounted on the A sprocket 59 is secured to shaft 40 and is sprocket 42 and on the sprockets 38 and 39. engaged by an endless chain 60 which also This endless chain' carries excavating engages a sprocket 61 secured to the shaft buckets and bailing devices. The idler 17. Consequently the two shafts l7 and 40 85 sprocket 42 is normally under and in vertical are caused to rotate in unison. v alinement with the sprocket 39 so that the A concrete mixer 62 is preferably mountendless chain 43 is thus providedwith a subed on the platform 6, the same being of any stantially vertical rear flight as shown. desired construction and being driven by a Each excavating bucket is made up of a chain 63 engaging a sprocket 64 on the shaft front wall 44 from the sides of which ex- 28 and a sprocket 65 on the actuating shaft tend rearwardly projecting side walls 45, 66 of the mixer. The outlet spout 67 of the each v0f WhiChhaS a Series f aw ee h 46 mixer dischar es into a boot 68 whici is sealong the lower edge thereof, the width of cured to a vertically adjustable standard 86 each side 45 increasing toward the rear end suspended between the beams 4 and 5 adjath r h b k is C nn to n centthe rear ends thereof, said boot being n of m 43 y a finger the held directly in line with and close to the like cast integral with or secured to said depending portion of the chain 43. This link and Which is held to the front Wall 44 boot has :1 depending front wall 69 from by rivets or the like. Each bucket extends which hangs an apron 70 formed of leather under. two or more links of the chain and or other suitable flexible material, and which t ide 45 of he uc e are connected at apron is adapted to contact with the bottom their upperlongltud fll edges y Cross of the trench formed by the excavating strlp adapted to heal pw ly ag lns buckets and to extend throughout the width. the Chaln of the trench. Consequently any liquid or D p ndlng m One Of the H h semi-liquid material deposited in the trench 01151111. and between the e end pertlens of back of the apron 70 will be prevented from t e Sides of the bucket 1s a finger 49 to flowing forwardly into that portion of the which is secured a scraping blade 50 adapted t h i f t f th b t to fit snugly between the sides 45 of the Th b t i id d ith id ll 7 11 bucket} designed to extend into the formed trench obvlously y deslled number of buckets so as to prevent the walls of the trench from y be}1sed and'these buckets a be Spaced caving in, and a roller 88 can be secured to y deslred intervals 7 the lower end of the standard 86 so as to F r the purp se f Cl ning the buckets travel along the bottom of the trench. a th vp h frentspreeket ,11 r per It will be understood that the machine 83 is pivotally mounted upon the frame 29 an be propelled forward at any desired and extends to a point where it will be slidspeed. and under the control of the clutches ablyengaged by the side walls of each 1213. The conveyer worm 53 will be opc this P P belng e y g v in erated continuously while the clutch meml e POSitlOIl y ppo y eXteHdlIlfJ bers 18-19 are in engagement with each springs 84extending from an arm 85 formed other and the same will likewise be true of 011 secured to the p the endless chain 43. Frame 29 can be ele- Pivotally connected to the frame 29 near vated at its rear end by means of the cable the shaft 17 is a guide trough 5ladapted to 33, thus to bring the front lower flight of bear downwardly at its rear edge upon the the chain into a substantially horizontal posurface of the ground and so proportioned sition at the beginning of the cut. During as to receive the buckets successively as they the operation of the excavator, the frame are moved forwardly and upwardly in the 29 can be gradually lowered as the depth of 'manner hereinafter described. This guide the cut increases.

As the chain 43 is operated by the mechanism hereinbefore described, the teeth 46 upon the sides of the buckets will cut into the soil and, as the scraping blades 50 pass under the idler sprocket 42, they will be moved downwardly into position between the rear ends of the sides 45, thus closing the space between said sides and causing the dirt which has been received between the sides of the bucket, to be scraped upwardly into the guide trough 51 from which it will be directed to the trough 52 and then conveyed laterally to the point of discharge. While the bucket is above the trough 52 it passes around the sprocket 38, the toothed sides 15 of the bucket swinging outwardly from the scraping blade 50 so that removal of the contents of the bucket is thus insured. Should any water accumulate within the trench produced in the manner herein described, the blades 58, which extend down to the bottom of the trench and throughout the width thereof, will serve as bailing ele ments, forcing the water upwardly along the incline at the front end of the trench and onto the surface of the ground. Thus the trench will. be kept practically clear of water until it has been filled with concrete.

F or the purpose of filling the trench, the concrete is properly mixed within the mixer 65 and discharged into the boot 68. As before pointed out, the apron 70 extends to the bottom and throughout the width of the trench. Consequently, when the concrete is discharged into the trench, it cannot'flow forward ahead of the boot and where it is likely to come into contact with the excavating elements.

It will be seen that by utilizing a machine such as herein described, a trench can be cut and filled with cement in practically one operation, the trench being of uniform width and of any desired depth and forming the mold in which the concrete foundation is built in the manner set forth.

A machine of this type has been found particularly desirable in constructing the foundations of levees but it is to be understood that the same can also be used in the construction of foundations for large buildings, and for like purposes.

Where the buckets and chains are of considerable weight and the soil is comparatively soft, the idler sprocket 42 can be dispensed with in which event the buckets will, by their own weight, dig into the soil. Furthermore, instead of utilizing buckets such as have been described, saws can be used, these saws 71 being driven by a shaft 72 which receives motion, through a chain 73, from a sprocket 74 mounted on a shaft 75 which corresponds with the shaft 17. The shaft 72 is preferably mounted on a frame 7 6 mounted to swing about the shaft 75 and which can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly by means of a cable 77 in the same manner as heretofore described with reference to the frame 29. The saws will cut into the soil and throw it upwardly onto inclined blades 78 which extend between the saws and serve to direct the loosened and elevated soil into a trough such as shown at 52 in Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that if desired, the machine can be propelled forward in any suitable manner, as by means of a block and tackle and, if preferred, the trench formed by the machine can be left open so as to be used for laying pipes or for drainage purposes.

The toothed side walls 45 will operate to cut through any material in the path thereof and the blades 50 constitute sharp chisels of steel designed to cut through the material cut by the teeth 46.

What is claimed is 2- 1. A machine of the class described, comprising a movably supported frame, an end less chain movably carried thereby and having rear and lower flights diverging upwardly, means carried by the chain for sawing parallel cuts in the soil and obstructions embedded therein, and means carried by the chain for scraping upwardly above the level of the ground the soil loosened between the saw cuts.

2. A machine of the class described, including a movably supported frame, an endless chain depending therefrom and having upwardly diverging rear and lower flights, means carried by the chain for sawing parallel cuts in the soil and through obstructions embedded in the soil, means carried W. O. BRADY.

Gopies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, I). G. 

